One of the goals in the fabrication of electronic components is to minimize the size of various components. For example, it is desirable that hand held devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) be as small as possible. To achieve this goal, the semiconductor circuits that are included within the devices should be as small as possible. One way of making these circuits smaller is to stack the chips that carry the circuits.
A number of ways of interconnecting the chips within the stack are known. For example, bond pads formed at the surface of each chip can be wire-bonded, either to a common substrate or to other chips in the stack. Another example is a so-called micro-bump 3D package, where each chip includes a number of micro-bumps that are routed to a circuit board, e.g., along an outer edge of the chip.
Yet another way of interconnecting chips within the stack is to use through semiconductor vias. The through semiconductor vias extend through the substrate thereby allowing electrical interconnections between circuits on various chips. Through semiconductor via interconnections can provide advantages in terms of interconnect density compared to other technologies. However, introduction of such interconnects may introduce additional challenges.
The integration of chips in 3D brings-forth a number of new challenges that need to be addressed. Hence, what is needed in the art are improved structures and methods of producing structures for 3D chip integration.
Thus, a need still remains for an integrated circuit package system with through semiconductor vias that can assist in the package shrinking process. In view of the ever-increasing process of functional conversion and the consumer demand for high quality and physically small devices, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is critical that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.